SCAFFOLD ACCESS GUARDRAIL SYSTEM

Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a guardrail system for an access point to a scaffold platform, and more particularly, to a safety guardrail and integrated gateway system that surrounds the platform access and egress point and which can be secured to the scaffold structure, thereby preventing movement of the guardrail system relative to the scaffold structure.

Background to the invention

[0002] Scaffolding erection and usage have traditionally been a major source of workplace injury and fatality, with the risk of falls from height causing particular concern. Recent changes to regulatory requirements and regulations for working with scaffolding (such as the Working At Height Regulations 2005 and the scaffold related regulations contained within the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Health and Safety Guidance series Health and Safety in Roof Work (HSG) 33 and Health and Safety in Construction (HSG) 150) which require the access point to be protected at all times have led to renewed interest in the development of improved safety systems and methods. Typically, in existing systems the scaffold platform ladder access point consist of an opening or hole in the boarded platform which is accessed by a ladder. In direct contravention of current legislative requirements, this opening is generally unguarded, leading to the ever-present risk of individuals and/or objects falling through the opening.

[0003] Safety devices for preventing accidental falls from the point of access at the scaffold working level which have been described previously include devices incorporating trapdoors, such as the device disclosed in GB 1546618. In the device described in GB 1546618, a vertical ladder forms part of the safety device and the system incorporates a trapdoor which is pivotable between an open position, which permits the worker to move up and down the ladder through the working level, and a closed position which prevents access to the ladder, and hence to upper or lower levels

of the scaffold platform. A rail, connected to both the ladder and the trapdoor, pivots up as the trapdoor opens to form a guardrail around the open trap door in the scaffold platform. A disadvantage of safety systems of this type, however, is that as the scaffold ladder forms an integral part of the safety device, the ladder must be left in place at all times. Moreover, the device, in use, does not afford open access to and egress from the scaffold platform and it also obstructs the visibility between different working levels in the scaffold tower. The present invention aims at providing an improved safety system for preventing scaffold workers from inadvertently falling into the exposed open point on scaffold platforms, thereby meeting the regulatory requirements of bodies such as the HSE and the National Access and Scaffold Confederation (NASC), but which does not rely on the ladder forming part of the safety device and so provides protection to the scaffold worker even when the ladder is not in place.

Summary of the invention

[0004] Accordingly, the present invention provides in a first aspect a guardrail system for a scaffold platform having an access opening therein, said guardrail system comprising:- a plurality of upright members, each upright member having means for attaching it to the scaffold platform at a bottom end thereof, the upright members being laterally spaced apart around at least part of the perimeter of an access opening in the scaffold platform; a plurality of horizontal members connected to the upright members so as to form guardrails; at least one adjacent pair of upright members being spanned by one or more gates, which gates are reversibly openable to afford access to the access opening.

[0005] In another aspect, the invention provides a kit adapted for preparing a guardrail system for a scaffold platform according to the first aspect, said kit comprising:- a plurality of upright members; a plurality of horizontal guardrail members; means for attaching said upright members to a scaffold platform; means for connecting said upright and horizontal members together; one or more gates;

means for coupling the gates to the upright members; one or more locking devices for locking the gates; and optionally means for connecting the horizontal members to a scaffold rail.

[0006] In a further aspect, the invention provides a scaffold system having installed therein a guardrail system according to the first aspect.

[0007]It will be appreciated that the various aspects of the present invention can be combined together.

[0008] By means of the invention, an integrated guardrail and gateway system is provided which not only meets legislative requirements by protecting and guarding the access point at all times but which has the additional advantages, compared to existing systems, that it does not rely for its operation on the ladder being present in the access well within the scaffolding tower nor does it prevent prevent personnel traffic between different working platform levels or disrupt the visibility between different platform levels as it guards the access point aperture without intruding over either the access area or the working platform area.

[0009] The safety system according to the invention provides a practical and cost- effective solution to the problem of improving the safety of scaffold platforms which makes use of existing scaffolding industry technology, materials and attachments and can readily be assembled either at the time of scaffold erection or installed in existing scaffold installations.

[0010] Particularly advantageously, the guardrails according to the invention may be attached to the external guardrails of the scaffold, thereby securing or anchoring the safety system according to the invention to both the scaffold system and the scaffold platform boards and preventing movement of the safety system relative to the scaffold system.

Detailed description of the invention

[0011] The upright members in the guardrail system according to the present invention individually have means for attaching them to the scaffold platform around the access opening at a bottom end thereof. Any suitable means for securing the end of the upright member to the scaffold platform may be employed. The bottom end of the upright member may be formed integrally with a base plate for attaching to the scaffold platform, for example, but in a particular embodiment the bottom end of the upright member may be fixed or clamped in a clamping device which may itself be fixed to the scaffold platform boards by conventional fixing means such as screws or bolts. Suitably, the clamping device comprises a receiving sleeve extending upwards from a base plate into which the bottom end of the upright member is inserted and to which it may be secured or clamped by any conventional fixing means. Suitably, the base plate may be attached to a toe board by any conventional means of attachment and this toe board attached to the scaffold toe board.

[0012] In the guardrail system according to the invention, the upright members are laterally spaced apart around at least part of the perimeter of the access opening in the scaffold platform. It will be appreciated that when the access opening is located within the span of the scaffold platform, the upright members of the system according to the invention may be spaced around the whole of the perimeter of the access opening but where the access opening point is located at or towards an edge of the scaffold platform then the upright members may be spaced around that part of the perimeter of the opening which is in the interior of the platform area while the outer edge of the opening is protected by the scaffolding itself.

[0013] A plurality of horizontal, cross-member guardrails are provided in the system according to the invention connecting between the upright members so as to form cross- member guardrails and holding the upright members rigid relative to each other. The horizontal members may connect pairs of adjacent upright members but in a particular embodiment, one or more horizontal members may be connected at one end to an upright member and at the other end to the external scaffold itself. The horizontal

members may be attached to the upright members by any connecting means conventionally used in the scaffolding art., for example using standard coupling devices.

[0014] It will be appreciated that depending on the intended height of the guardrail above the surface of the scaffold working platform, more than one horizontal guardrail positioned at different heights along the length of the upright members may be required to provide sufficient protection so as to prevent individuals and/or objects falling underneath the guardrail and into the access opening.

[0015] At least one pair of adjacent upright members in the system according to the invention is spanned by one or more gates which are reversibly openable to afford access and egress through the scaffold ladder access guardrail system and onto the scaffold platform . Each gate is suitably attached at one side to an upright member by a hinge mechanism and is provided with a return mechanism such as a spring loaded hinge mechanism, to ensure that the gateway returns to a closed position following opening, and one or more locking devices, such as a hole receiver and pin, hasp and clasp, a chain, a strap, or other gate-type or barrier devices, to prevent unintentional or unauthorised access to the access opening. The space between an adjacent pair of upright members may be spanned by a single gate but conveniently is spanned by more than one gate, particularly two gates.

[0016] In order to conform to variations in dimensions of the access point in the scaffold structure in which the guardrail system according to the present invention is intended to be used, the lengths of the horizontal, cross-member guardrails and the widths of the gates are preferably adjustable as is the length of the toe board.

Conveniently, the horizontal guardrails, gate members and toe board (if present) are provided with means for telescopically adjusting their length. Any conventional telescoping mechanism may conveniently be employed.

[0017] In one embodiment according to the invention, the base clamp plates of the access guardrail system are securably fixed onto the scaffold platform boards and the guardrails are secured to the scaffold system guardrails. As such, the scaffold ladder access guardrail system is completely integrated into the scaffold system. To prevent

lateral movement of the access guardrail system relative to the scaffold system, the guardrails are coupled or otherwise connected to each other and the base clamp plates are screwed, bolted or fixed in some other similar way onto the scaffold platform boards. This provides sufficient lateral stability relative to the scaffold system.

[0018]. The upright members (also referred to herein as standards) may suitably be coupled to the scaffold guardrails, particularly for an access point opening as illustrated in Fig. 2 below. This may be accomplished by providing one or more couplers coupled to one or more of the upright standards and adjoining scaffold in situ guardrails.

[0019] hi one embodiment, the scaffold ladder access guardrail system comprises a plurality of upright standards, a plurality of cross-member, horizontal guardrails and plurality of gates that are removably securable relative to one another for ease of construction and disassembly. The gates and cross-member guardrails suitably comprise telescopic or similar means in order to accommodate the differing perimeter spans to surround and safeguard the opening access point on the scaffold platform and can be easily assembled and adjusted into the scaffold ladder access guardrail system of the present invention.

[0020] The upright members, means for attaching them to the scaffold platform, horizontal members and gates may be made of any material which is sufficiently strong to withstand the forces which scaffolding systems are typically subjected to. Suitably, the components of the guardrail system according to the present invention are made of steel tubing or other such similar materials.

[0021] hi order to meet HSE and NASC guidelines, the scaffold access guardrail system of the present invention is suitably configured to withstanding vertical or horizontal forces of at least 100 kilograms applied within two inches of the top edge in any outward or downward direction at any point along the guardrails and gateway system .

[0022] Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following non-limiting examples. Generally speaking the invention extends to any novel one, or

any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims and drawings). Moreover unless stated otherwise, any feature disclosed herein may be replaced by an alternative feature serving the same or a similar purpose.

[0023] The present invention will now be further described with reference to the following non-limiting examples and with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings, in which: -

FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of a scaffold access guardrail system according to the present invention wherein the opening access point is situated within the span of the scaffold width;.

FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of a scaffold ladder access guardrail system, according to the invention wherein the opening access point is situated at one end of the span of the scaffold width;

FIGS. 3A and 3B show side views of the telescopic or extendable horizontal cross- member guardrails with attachment couplers for securing the cross-member guardrails to the scaffold system guardrails; FIGS. 4 A and 4B are side and front views of the upright standards with attachment receivers and securing attachments for securing the cross-member guardrails to the scaffold system guardrails;

FIGS. 5 A and 5B are both side views of the telescopic or extendable gates with spring loaded hinge mechanism and retaining plate attachments for securing the cross-member guardrails of the access guardrail system of the present invention to the scaffold ;

FIGS. 6 A, 6B, and 6C are perspective, front, side and top views of a base clamp plate according to the invention

FIG. 7 is a perspective side view of an extendable toe board for use in a device according to the invention

[0024] Referring to the drawings in detail wherein like reference itemized numerals have been used throughout the various figures to designate like elements, there is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 a scaffold ladder access guardrail system constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention and designated generally as (1) and (IA). The scaffold ladder access guardrail system, (1) and (IA), comprise a pair of upright standards (3), including base clamp plates (shown in FIGS. 6A, 6B and 6C) interconnected by two cross-member guardrails, (2) (FIGS. 1, 2, 3 A and 3B), with a gateway system (4) (FIGS. 1, 2, 5A and 5B) and the toe boards(5) (FIGS. 1, 2 and 7). The upright standards (3), base clamp plates, cross-member guardrails (2) and gateway system (4) are configured so as to be easily and quickly assembled and disassembled for transporting and installing the integrated guardrail and gateway system (1) of the present invention.

[0025] Each upright standard (3) has a base clamp plate (3.4) formed from a section of plate steel or similar for affixing the base of the upright to the scaffold platform. Attachment pieces for receiving and securing the guardrails are provided comprising a plurality of guardrail receivers ( 3.1, 3.2), bracket hinge pins ( 3.2), with attached retaining plates ( 3.2.1) for forming an integral upright standard for connection of the guardrail and gateway system. The bracket hinge pins ( 3.2) are supported in attachment with a selection of notches or dimples or holes or similar ( 3.5) for receiving a pin or grub screw or bolt or similar. The retaining plates (3.2.1) are attached to the plurality of bracket hinge pins (3.2), for the purpose of retaining and limiting the movement of the gate to beyond that of the upright standard (3) so as not to impede or encroach into the opening void area and to ensure the stability and rigidity of the gateway system. The base clamp plate (3.4) is attached to the base of the upright standard and is configured for securing to the scaffold platform board.

[0026] The configuration of the base clamp plate (3.4) and its attachment to the upright standards (3) provides a strong, rigid and sturdy attachment between the base clamp plate and the scaffold platform board and upright standard., . A vice like grip is achieved by means of the teeth configuration (3.4.4) at the junction or base of the base

clamp plate with the affixing plate (3.4.5) for the attachment and securing of the toe board as illustrated in FIGS. 6A, 6B and 6C. A plurality of screws, bolts, or similar ( 3.4.2) are provided for affixing the upright standard to the base clamp sleeve ( 3.4.1) and further screws, bolts, or similar affixing means (3.4.3) secure the base plate clamp to the working platform.

[0027] Each upright standard (3), is provided with a pair of female cross-member guardrail receiving attachment pieces ( 3.1, 3.2) in a variety of forms, to suit the type of scaffold system and male hinge pin and retaining plate attachment pieces (3 .2). added strength and support is given with notches or dimples or holes or similar ( 3.5). These receiving attachment pieces (3.1, 3.2 and 3.3) comprise relatively short sections of tubing or may be in the form of latches and pins or similar for relatively neatly and securely receiving the cross-member guardrails ( 2) and female spring loaded hinge mechanism ( 4.1).Once the cross-member guardrails ( 2) and gateway system ( 4) are properly seated within the receiving pieces (3.1 , 3.2 and 3.3), the cross-member guardrails( 2), and gateway system( 4) may be removably secured by a mechanical type fastener such as a transversely extending bolt or pin (as is illustrated in FIGS. 4 A and 4B). The upright standards (3), and thus the cross-member guardrails ( 2), are positioned along either one or both sides of the scaffold ladder access guardrail system and the gateway system (4), is positioned to the front of the scaffold ladder access guardrail system. For increased stability, however, the cross-member guardrails ( 2), are attached relative to the scaffold system guardrails by means of couplers or similar and to the gateway system for integrated configuration and support.

[0028] At the front of the scaffold ladder access guardrail system (1, IA) is a gateway system(4) comprising two spring loaded gates with spring loaded mechanism ( 4.1) and hinge bracket attachments(3.2) (shown in more detail in FIGS. 4A, 4B and 5 A and 5B). The attachment members (3.2 and 4.1) are configured for removably attaching a pair of gates with telescopic extension or similar for adjustable purposes with a variation of options for locking of the gates with a locking mechanism ( 4.4) if required (not shown) between the upright standards ( 3) to allow access and egress into the guardrail system., preventing inadvertent access into the scaffold access opening that may result in injury. The attachment members (3.1, 3.2, 3.3) are secured to the upright standards ( 3) by

screws or bolts or the like or they may be permanent affixedby welding or similar means. The cross-member guardrail (2) is secured to the cross-member receiving member (3.1 and 3.2) for attachment to the upright standard, and has a coupler or similar (2.3), attached to the scaffold system guardrail. The gates (4) comprise an elongate section of steel tubing or similar (or other type of industrial materials and form) (4.2), with a hole for pin or grub screw or similar at point (4.5) and a smaller diameter elongate section of steel tubing or similar (or other type of industrial materials and form) ( 4.3) which fits snugly into the larger section (4.2). A selection of notches or dimples or holes or similar (4.6) are shown for receiving a pin or grub screw or bolt or similar. The two items ( 4.2 and 4.3), create a telescopic movement between the two items with the pin or grub screw or bolt or similar being inserted through one item ( 4.5 ) and resting securely in a second item(4.6).

[0029] As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 A and 3B the cross-member guardrail ( 2), is secured to the cross-member receiving member ( 3.1 , 3.2) for attachment to the upright standard (3) and has a coupler or similar ( 2.3) attached to the in situ scaffold system guardrail. The cross-member guardrail ( 2) comprises an elongate section of steel tubing or similar (or other type of industrial materials and form) ( 2.2) with a hole for pin or grub screw or similar at point ( 2.4)and a smaller diameter elongate section of steel tubing or similar (or other type of industrial materials and form)( 2. l)which fits snugly into the larger section (2.2) and has a selection of notches or dimples or holes or similar ( 2.5) for receiving a pin or grub screw or bolt or similar. These two items (2.2, 2.1) create a telescopic movement between the two items with the pin or grub screw or bolt or similar being inserted through the hole (2.4) and resting securely in the notch ( 2.5). The coupler or similar (2.3) is attached to the guardrail end of the smaller elongate section of tube( 2.1) by means of a grub screw or bolt or similar or permanently affixed by weld or similar. Optionally, the guardrails (2) can be left attached to the upright standards (3) and remain as one integrated foldable and collapsible item for purposes of transportation, storage and ease of assembly and disassembly.

[0030] As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 7, a telescopic or extendable toe board protection (5) may be attached and secured to the in situ scaffold toe board with attachment toe board

clamp and secured to the base clamp plate (3.4.5) by means of affixing screws, bolts, wing nuts or similar through the toe board into the receiving plate. The toe board (5) comprises an elongate section of rectangular steel, aluminium, plastic, rubber tubing or similar (or other type of industrial materials and form) ( 5.1), with a hole for pin or grub screw or similar at point (5.3),and a smaller diameter elongate section of aluminium, plastic, rubber tubing or similar (or other type of industrial materials and form) ( 5.2) for snug fitment into the larger section ( 5.1) and has a selection of notches or dimples or holes or similar ( 5.5), for receiving of pin or grub screw or bolt or similar. The two items (5.1, 5.2) create a telescopic movement between the two items with the pin or grub screw or bolt or similar being inserted through one item (5.3 )and resting securely into the other item( 5.5). The end section of the toe board ( 5) is secured to the base clamp plate(3.4) and , there is an affixing toe board plate (3.4.5) to which the toe board fixing point (5.4) is secured by means of affixing screws, bolts, wing nuts or similar through the toe board into the receiving plate or similar.